The Hanging Tree
by KeepCalmAndHaveATomato
Summary: Based off the song within the book, 'The Hanging Tree' PruAus, hints of GerIta and SpaMano LOTS OF CHARACTER DEATH sorry ;.; Fem! Romano, Austria and Veneziano, human names used.


**(A/N: I'M SORRY! In advance. Giovanni/Gio is Seborga, BTW. I know I should be working on my USUK and Prussia fics, AND I SWEAR I AM, but this idea came to me and I had to write it.)**

_Are you, are you, coming to the tree?_

_Where they strung up a man they said murdered three._

_Strange things did happen here, _

_No stranger would it be,_

_If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree._

* * *

"Brother… you know I didn't do it!" Gilbert slammed his fist on the table, shaking its contents.

"I… I don't believe you. I think you did do it." Ludwig said, turning away from Gilbert.

Gilberts face fell. "You really think…" His face grew angry and his voice lowered dangerously. "You think I would brutally murder three people who I was friends with? What is wrong with you? One of them was just a kid! And the other two… I wouldn't kill Feli if someone gave me Capitol food! I'm not that twisted!" He threw a look of disgust at his brother.

Ludwig faced his brother again. "I loved Felicia. I want her to have justice. Ivan was there, he saw you do it. I have to believe him."

Gilbert was shocked. "You're going to believe an almost stranger who threatens to kill people over your own brother? There is something wrong with you Ludwig. I practically raised you, putting my name in for tesserae since I was old enough. I have been risking my life for you since you were born. This is how you repay me?" he snarled.

All of a sudden, another man burst through their door and ran full speed at Gilbert; pinning him to a wall.

"You…" The man said with a raspy voice and red-rimmed eyes from crying. "You killed my Lovi…" He threw Gilbert on the ground. "YOU KILLED HER!" He was about to attack Gilbert when Ludwig grabbed him and pulled him off the albino man.

"Antonio, calm down. He'll be brought to justice; I informed the peacekeepers earlier today. They'll… _deal with _him tomorrow." Ludwig said calmly.

Antonio wiped his eyes. "I thought we were friends Gilbert." He said as he stalked out of the house, slamming the door with an anguished wail.

Gilbert stood up and looked at his brother with a scared look on his face. "Did you really tell the Peacekeepers?"

Ludwig nodded. "You'll get what you deserve." He said as he walked out of the room.

* * *

_Are you, are you, coming to the tree?_

_Where the dead man called out for his love to flee._

_Strange things did happen here,_

_No stranger would it be,_

_If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree._

* * *

Early in the morning, Gilbert snuck out of his house, being careful not to wake his brother.

As if he could even call him brother anymore.

He snuck past the town square, and went to a familiar house. He hid in a familiar bush and brought his hands to his mouth to do a bird call.

Once, twice.

The back door opened to reveal a pretty girl with dark brown hair and violet eyes. She also had a small piece of hair that didn't stay down on her head. Gilbert poked his head out of the bushes and waved her over. She sighed and tiptoed over.

"What do you want Gilbert?" The girl whispered.

Gilbert smiled sadly as his eyes watered, just a little. "They think I did it, Annalise. They think I murdered Feli, Lovi and Gio. They're getting me in a few hours." He said, kissing Annalise lightly.

She brought her hands to her mouth to stifle a sob. "You didn't do it though! We were together that night…" She said, crying.

Gilbert hugged her tightly. "I know. I didn't say anything because I didn't want you to be involved. I just denied it. You know who told the Peacekeepers?" Annalise shook her head. "Ludwig." Gilbert spat out the name, as if it was poison.

Anna's face hardened. "What a way to be 'found out'…by your own brother." She wiped her eyes. "I love you Gilbert." She said, burying her face in his chest.

Gilbert smiled a little. "You don't usually show your love to me this much~"

Annalise blushed, but tears sprinkled her eyes. "It's not every day the Peacekeepers are after you… What are they going to do with you?"

Gilbert shook his head. "I don't know…"

They saw the sun rising and they both knew Gilbert had to leave and meet his fate. They shared one last kiss. Gilbert took Anna's face in his hands. "Whatever happens, I love you. I need you to find who really killed them. If you could." Gilbert ran back to his house, taking one last glance at Annalise. She waved and went back up to her room to think, because she knew she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep.

Gilbert snuck in the back door of his house and into his room only minutes before the Peacekeepers came in. Four of them, to be exact. They took Gilbert away as Ludwig followed. As soon as Gilbert noticed where they were taking him, his blood ran cold.

'_The hanging tree…'_

He decided to be dignified and ignored the crowd that gathered to watch him die. He spotted familiar faces.

Ludwig; silent and staring with icy, unreadable eyes.

Antonio; eyes full of hatred, disgust and tears. He was jeering along with the majority of the crowd.

Francis; his other former best friend, looking on with disappointment and disgust as well.

Ivan; smiling and jeering with everyone.

Romulus; Lovina, Felicia and Giovanni's grandfather who had raised them. He was jeering; his eyes were full of contempt and sorrow.

And last but not least, his beautiful Annalise. She was crying silently and shaking her head. He mouthed the words,

'Go, my love.'

And she went.

A box was kicked, the rope tightened, and an innocent man was killed.

* * *

_Are you, are you coming to the tree?_

_Where I told you to run so we'd both be free._

_Strange things did happen here, _

_No stranger would it be,_

_If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree._

* * *

Annalise ran, but she heard the box be kicked and the crowd cheered. She fell to her knees and sobbed.

"Gil… He's g-gone!" She wailed, knowing no one would pay attention to her. Then she remembered her promise to Gilbert.

"_I need you to find out who really killed them. If you could."_

She wiped her eyes and swallowed the lump in her throat.

'_I need to find out. For Lovina, Felicia, Giovanni and Gilbert.'_

She went home and gathered her sketchbook. No one really knew she drew, except Gilbert. She had many drawings, ranging from the forest to Gilbert himself. She opened it to a random page and smiled as she looked at the drawing. It was a drawing of her cat that Gilbert had drawn. A five year old could have drawn it similarly, but it was perfect in its own way. The pages in the sketchbook were also lined like a blank music sheet every other page. Annalise adored music. There was an instrument she had heard of, it was ancient, before Panem. It was called a 'piano'. It looked gorgeous and Annalise had wanted nothing but a piano for the longest time. For her 18th birthday, Gilbert had reverse-engineered one for her. It didn't look exactly the same, and it was much smaller than the original, but it produced a beautiful sound. She would play it and compose music every day. Gilbert loved to sit and watch her compose or play it. She snapped the sketchbook shut, jarring her from her memories. She went to visit Ludwig, seeing if he knew anything. She was absolutely furious with him, but she couldn't let her cover be blown. As she approached his house, there was an awful noise coming from inside. She snuck in and saw Ivan beating Ludwig with a pipe. She gasped and Ivan looked at her. He stopped beating- no… _killing_ Ludwig and ran. Annalise went over to Ludwig and tried to stop the bleeding, but she just got blood on herself. Ludwig was gone, off to be with Felicia and Gilbert. Her eyes filled with tears, knowing now who had killed four innocent people, five if you count Gilbert. All of a sudden, Peacekeepers came in, causing Annalise to jump.

One of the Peacekeepers pointed a gun at her. "Step away from him. You're off to the hanging tree as well, you murderer." The Peacekeeper said.

Annalise's eyes widened. "N-no! I was only trying to- "

"Save your dignity, for you obviously have no conscience." The Peacekeeper said with disgust.

Annalise screamed as the Peacekeepers grabbed her shoulders and led her to the hanging tree.

"I didn't do it! Ivan did!" She yelled, tears streaming down her face.

The Peacekeeper scoffed. "Ivan is a loyal, good, citizen. He's reported two murders in the last week. We need more heroes like him."

Annalise was led onto the box and the noose was placed around her neck.

A crowd began to gather around, listening to the supposed crime she was being hung for.

"Annalise Edelstein, guilty of murdering Ludwig Beildshmit." A Peacekeeper read.

A wave of shock rippled through the crowd, not many knew he was dead yet.

Annalise had stopped crying now. She clutched sketchbook tightly and thought,

'_We'll be together now Gilbert.'_

The box was kicked for the second time that day, and for the second time killing an innocent person.

The sketchbook fell with a thump and opened to a picture.

The cat Gilbert had drawn was on one page, and on the opposite was a sheet of music, titled,

'_Innocent'_

* * *

_Are you, are you coming to the tree?_

_Wear a necklace of rope side by side with me,_

_Strange things have happened here,_

_No stranger would it be,_

_If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree._

* * *

Six souls gathered in the branched of the hanging tree that night.

On the highest two branches, a girl and her brother.

On the middle branches, two lovers who had siblings held each other.

Right above the noose, in the lowest branches; two innocent lovers met up,

All in the hanging tree.

**(A/N2: Again, I'M SORRY FOR KILLING THEM ;.; I recently fell in love with PruAus... don't get me wrong PruCan is still epic but... yeah. ANYWAY, I hope you enjoyed and R&R please!)**


End file.
